Charging Patents (Class 399/168)
  • Patent number: 8260174
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, there is a charging device including a first conductive layer disposed over a first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer disposed over a first conductive layer, the second dielectric layer including a plurality of cavities, wherein each of the plurality of cavities exposes a portion of the first conductive layer; a plurality of micro-tips, wherein one of the plurality of micro-tips is disposed within each of the plurality of cavities and on the first conductive layer; a second conductive layer disposed over the second dielectric layer; and a system of interconnected air flow channels disposed in the second dielectric layer and connected to the cavities, such that air injected through an air inlet exits through the plurality of cavities. The charging device can also include one or more power supplies to apply bias voltages to the first and the second conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Fa-Gung Fan, Nancy Jia
  • Publication number: 20120213551
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable photosensitive member; a charging member configured to charge the photosensitive member; a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic image formed on the photosensitive member with toner; a transferring device configured to transfer the toner image to a toner image receiving member; first and second brushes downstream of the transferring device and upstream of the charging member with respect to a rotational direction of the photosensitive member and in contact with the photosensitive member; and a device configured to apply, during image formation, to the first and second brushes voltages that are, respectively, opposite in polarity to and the same polarity as the polarity of voltage applied to the charging member. The first brush has a density lower than that of the second brush.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Isao Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8249487
    Abstract: According to an electron emitting element of the present invention, an electron acceleration layer sandwiched between an electrode substrate and a thin-film electrode contains (i) insulating fine particles and (ii) at least one of (a) conductive fine particles having an average particle diameter smaller than an average particle diameter of the insulating fine particles and (b) a basic dispersant. The electron acceleration layer has a surface roughness of 0.2 ?m or less in centerline average roughness (Ra). The thin-film electrode has a film thickness of 100 nm or less. As such, according to the electron emitting element of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the thin-film electrode to an appropriate thickness. Accordingly, it is possible to increase electron emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Imura, Hiroyuki Hirakawa, Ayae Nagaoka, Tadashi Iwamatsu
  • Publication number: 20120207508
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image carrier drum on which a latent image is formed; a development unit which includes a development roller coming into contact with the image carrier drum on an upward side of a virtual horizontal plane, which is perpendicular to a virtual vertical plane passing through a rotation center of the image carrier drum, in a vertical direction and developing the latent image formed on the image carrier drum with a liquid developer containing toner and a carrier liquid; a squeeze unit which comes into contact with the image developed by the development roller on the upward side of the virtual horizontal plane in the vertical direction and includes a squeeze roller squeezing the image; and a transfer unit which transfers the image squeezed by the squeeze roller to a transfer member on a downward side of the virtual horizontal plane in the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro NISHIYAMA, Kazuma MIYAZAWA, Yoshitomo HIRATA, Tsutomu SASAKI, Naoyuki OKUMURA, Yuichiro TSUKADA
  • Publication number: 20120189348
    Abstract: An electrostatic charger (32A) of an image forming apparatus (1) takes the air not containing dust inside from the outside of an image forming unit (101) by an air current generator (632A), and delivers an air current through a passage (43A) to an air-intake opening (524A) formed in a bottom face (521A) of a case (52A). The air current taken inside the case (52A) from the air-intake opening (524A) is directed by a guide plate (56A) and an air barrier (57A) to a tip portion (531A) of a discharge electrode (53A), and then passing the tip portion (531A), it is exhausted via an opening (520A) of the case (52A) through an exhaust duct (62A) from an air-exhaust opening (63A) to the outside of the image forming unit (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Masanobu Yamamoto, Takashi Tokuda
  • Publication number: 20120177407
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus having the same. The developing device includes a space maintaining member separably coupled to an outer surface of a housing thereof. The space maintaining member restricts movement of a holder used to support a charging roller which comes into contact with a photoconductor by pressure of a pressure member, providing use convenience and operation reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sang Hoon LEE, Dae Seob Kweon
  • Patent number: 8204400
    Abstract: A charging device includes a charging roller, a drive transmission device, and a charging roller cleaner. The charging roller opposes an image carrier driven to rotate and rotates to charge the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner contacts the charging roller to clean the charging roller. The drive transmission device transmits torque from the image carrier to the charging roller, and includes an image carrier gear and a driven gear. The image carrier gear and the driven gear form a gear train to drive the charging roller in response to rotation of the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner is disposed facing a rear surface of the charging roller to prevent displacement of the charging roller due to a force generated by a pressure angle formed between the image carrier gear and the driven gear when the charging roller rotates in response to rotation of the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Shinya Karasawa, Takatsugu Fujishiro, Takaaki Tawada, Hiromichi Ninomiya, Takeshi Tabuchi, Naohiro Kumagai, Akira Fujimori
  • Patent number: 8204422
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of process cartridges provided for black and for another color. The process cartridges each including a set of a latent image carrier, a charging unit that charges a surface of the latent image carrier, and a lubricant applying unit that applies lubricant to the surface of the latent image carrier. The process cartridges for black and for the another color each has a cartridge frame with which the process cartridge is attachable to and removable from an apparatus body. The cartridge frames of the process cartridges for black and for the another color being of the same type. The process cartridge for black differs from the process cartridge for the another color in the configuration of the charging unit. The amounts of lubricant applied by the lubricant applying units to the respective latent image carriers differ with respect to the configuration of the charging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Hatori, Yasushi Akiba, Kaoru Yoshino, Takaya Muraishi, Akio Kosuge, Takeshi Shintani
  • Publication number: 20120148306
    Abstract: To provide a charging member to the surface of which any toners and so forth can be kept from adhering and which can exhibit a stable charging performance. The charging member has a substrate, an elastic layer and a surface layer; the surface layer containing a high-molecular compound having an Si—O—B linkage and having a constitutional unit represented by the following formula (1) and a constitutional unit represented by the following formula (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuya Tomomizu, Noriaki Kuroda, Noriko Nagamine
  • Publication number: 20120134713
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photoreceptor. The method includes forming at least one layer selected from the group consisting of an undercoat layer, a photosensitive layer, and a protective layer, by jetting by an inkjet method a first coating liquid and a second coating liquid from liquid drop discharging heads which are different from each other, and mixing the first coating liquid and the second coating liquid on a conductive substrate. The first coating liquid and the second coating liquid react with each other when they are mixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomotake INAGAKI, Kazuyuki TADA, Tomomasa SATO, Masaru AGATSUMA
  • Patent number: 8185000
    Abstract: An electrostatic charging apparatus, includes: an endless-shaped electrostatic charging belt having electrical conductivity, the electrostatic charging belt being arranged in a state of having a predetermined contact zone being in contact with a moving to-be-charged body and moving in the same direction as a moving direction of the to-be-charged body; and plural electrode members including at least a first electrode member and a second electrode member, the plural electrode members being provided inside the electrostatic charging belt, and the first and second electrode members being provided on both sides of the contact zone of the electrostatic charging belt in the moving direction thereof so as to press the electrostatic charging belt against the to-be-charged body and forming gaps that permit electric discharge between the to-be-charged body and the electrostatic charging belt, the gaps being adjacent to the respective sides of the contact zone of the electrostatic charging belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taku Aoshima, Osamu Handa
  • Patent number: 8180236
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum; a charging member; a charging bias applying device; an image forming device; a detecting device for detecting a current passing between the charging member and the drum; an executing device for selectively executing a first mode in which the charging bias of a first frequency is applied to form the image on the drum rotated at a first speed and a second mode in which the charging bias of a second frequency is applied to form the image on the drum rotated at a second speed; a calculating device for calculating information indicating a relationship between an output of the detecting device when the AC voltage of the first frequency is applied and an output of the detecting device when the AC voltage of the second frequency is applied; and an adjusting device for adjusting a peak-to-peak voltage to be applied to the charging member in the first mode based on the output of the detecting device obtained by applying the AC voltage of the first frequency to the charging me
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Hanashi
  • Patent number: 8175498
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier; a first charging unit which charges the latent image carrier; a second charging unit which supplies a charge having a reverse polarity of the charged polarity of the toner; a toner carrying roller which carries a toner layer containing both a contact toner which comes in direct contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller and a non-contact toner which comes in contact with the contact toner and does not come in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller; an electric field forming unit which develops the electrostatic latent image by the toner by generating an alternate electric field as a toner fly electric field between the latent image carrier and the toner carrying roller; and a transfer unit which transfers a toner image formed by developing the electrostatic latent image to a transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Masaru Kobashi, Mikio Furumizu
  • Patent number: 8175497
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a rotatable image carrier; a protective agent supplying unit supplying a protective agent to the image carrier; a first charging unit charging the image carrier to the same polarity as a regular charging polarity of a toner; a second charging unit charging the protective agent supplied to the image carrier to the opposite polarity to the regular charging polarity of the toner; an exposure unit forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a development unit developing the electrostatic latent image of the image carrier; and a transfer unit transferring the image of the image carrier, wherein the second charging unit is disposed between the protective agent supplying unit and the development unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kobashi, Yoichi Yamada, Masahiro Maeda, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20120093539
    Abstract: Provided is a charging member having a high relative dielectric constant and a small surface free energy, the charging member being capable of maintaining its high relative dielectric constant over a long time period. Also provided are a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus effective in increasing a printing speed and lengthening the lifetime of the electrophotographic apparatus. The charging member is a charging member comprising a support, an elastic layer, and a surface layer, wherein the surface layer comprises a cured product layer of a coating agent containing a reaction product between a hydrolyzable silane compound and titanium oxide particles having hydroxyl groups on surfaces thereof at a content of from 0.7 mass % to 35 mass %. The electrophotographic apparatus and the process cartridge each include the charging member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriko Nagamine, Noriaki Kuroda
  • Patent number: 8160470
    Abstract: A cleaning roller for cleaning a charging roller in an image forming apparatus is disposed in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a charging roller to remove foreign matters attached to the outer peripheral surface of the charging roller. The cleaning roller has a metal core and a polyurethane foam layer covering an outer peripheral surface of this metal core. The polyurethane foam layer includes a number of cells. The number of cells per inch is 40 or more and 80 or less, and an open ratio of a wall surface of cells is 3% or more and 50% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Junpei Shouno, Yohei Nakade, Ichiro Demizu
  • Publication number: 20120087695
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate, a charge generation layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate, a hole transport layer located on the charge generation layer, and a hole transport protective layer located on the hole transport layer. The hole transport protective layer includes a three-dimensionally crosslinked material obtained by irradiating a composition including at least a radically polymerizable hole transport compound with ultraviolet rays or electron beams so that the radically polymerizable hole transport compound causes chain polymerization. In addition, the protective layer includes a specific cyano-containing styryl aromatic compound or a specific cyano-containing distyryl aromatic compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Kazukiyo Nagai, Tetsuro Suzuki, Hongguo Li
  • Publication number: 20120070188
    Abstract: An electroconductive member excellent in durability even when applying direct current voltage over a long period of time is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuka Hirakoso, Satoru Yamada, Seiji Tsuru, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Norifumi Muranaka
  • Publication number: 20120070773
    Abstract: The present invention provides a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image including toner particles having residual ammonium ions and silica particles containing a chlorine compound as an external additive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko KOBAYASHI, Yasuhiro ARIMA
  • Patent number: 8135309
    Abstract: A coronode charging device includes a support member, a filament, an adjustment mechanism and a voltage source. The lament is disposed along the support member in a configuration that creates a plurality of active regions and a plurality of inactive regions of the filament. The active regions are simultaneously positionable adjacent the photoreceptor. The inactive regions may be farther from the photoreceptor than the active regions. The adjustment mechanism moves the filament such that portions of the filament that correspond to the active regions are moved to positions that correspond to the inactive regions, and some portions of the filament that were in the inactive regions are moved to positions that correspond to the active regions. This operations extends the life of the coronode charging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Swift, Fa-Gung Fan, Richard W. Seyfried, Michael F. Zona
  • Patent number: 8131184
    Abstract: In a plate-like grid electrode of a charging device that controls the charged potential of a surface of a photoreceptor drum, a vibrating portion that vibrates itself to make the plate-like grid electrode vibrate is formed. The vibrating portion is a piezoelectric bimorph element in which two piezoelectric elements are bonded to each other and a base portion is provided between the two piezoelectric elements. When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric bimorph element, a free end is curved to vibrate the piezoelectric bimorph element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanobu Deguchi
  • Publication number: 20120051789
    Abstract: A charged particle generator includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulating material that is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. Charged particles are generated by discharge that occurs between the first and the second electrodes. The first electrode, the insulating material, and the second electrode are arranged in a first direction. The second electrode has a shape that does not intersect a path along which the charged particles move in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori MORINO, Masao OHMORI
  • Publication number: 20120051790
    Abstract: A charged particle generator includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulating material that is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode has an opening that opens in a first direction in which the first electrode, the insulating material, and the second electrode are arranged. The insulating material has a region limiting space. The region limiting space corresponds to the opening. The region limiting space is continuous with the opening. The region limiting space is a space that opens in a direction in which the region limiting space is oriented toward the opening and that is limited in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first electrode has an anisotropic resistance portion in which a resistance component in the first direction is smaller than a resistance component in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masao OHMORI, Takanori MORINO, Chikaho IKEDA
  • Patent number: 8126344
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image carrier that includes a photoconductive layer on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a charging member that comes in contact with the image carrier and charges the photoconductive layer, and a feeding section that supplies a current to the charging member by applying a vibration voltage with an alternating current component superposed on a direct current component, wherein the alternating current component may contain a first amplitude that eliminates charging non-uniformity when the vibration voltage is applied with a uniform amplitude and a second amplitude that is smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Handa, Yoshihisa Kitano
  • Publication number: 20120045250
    Abstract: To provide a charging member that can not easily cause faulty cleaning. A charging member having a conductive support and an elastic layer that is a surface layer; the elastic layer having on its surface a region having been cured by irradiation with electron rays, where the region having been cured supports at least one type of spherical particles of spherical silica particles, spherical alumina particles and spherical zirconia particles in such a state that the spherical particles are exposed at least in part to the surface of the elastic layer so as to make the surface roughened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Harada, Toshiro Suzuki, Hiroaki Watanabe, Taichi Sato, Keiji Nose
  • Patent number: 8120889
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide charging systems and methods for effectively delivering charges onto a receptor. The charging system can include a low velocity gas stream, an emitter assembly for providing cathode-to-anode field bias to generate charges from the low velocity gas stream, and an emitter-to-receptor (e.g., photoreceptor) electric bias to enhance the charge delivery to the receptor. The disclosed charging systems and methods can be used to achieve an optimal charging performance at a low projected cost for any suitable receptor that needs to be charged. Exemplary receptors can include a photoreceptor (PR) such as a belt PR or a drum PR, a toner layer, a sheet of media on which toner can be deposited, or a transfer belt in an electrophotographic printing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Fa-Gung Fan, Joseph A. Swift, Michael F. Zona, David H. Pan
  • Publication number: 20120027456
    Abstract: Provided is the following electro-conductive member for electrophotography. The electrical resistance of the member hardly increases even by long-term energization, and hence the member is conducive to stable formation of high-quality electrophotographic images. The electro-conductive member for electrophotography, comprises: an electro-conductive mandrel and an electro-conductive layer, wherein said electro-conductive layer contains an A-B-A type triblock copolymer in which an A-block is a polystyrene having a cation exchange group, and a B-block is a polyolefin, and wherein said A-B-A type triblock copolymer forms a microphase-separated structure comprising a matrix phase formed of said B-block, and one phase formed of the A-block and having a structure selected from the group consisting of a cylindrical structure, a bicontinuous structure and a lamellar structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norifumi Muranaka, Satoru Yamada, Seiji Tsuru, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Yuka Hirakoso
  • Patent number: 8105672
    Abstract: An electroconductive member including an electroconductive support, an electric resistance adjusting layer formed on the electroconductive support, and a top surface layer that coats the surface of the electric resistance adjusting layer, the top surface layer containing at least one oxygen-containing inorganic compound selected from among a composite oxide of silicon and aluminum, an oxygen-containing silicon compound, and an oxygen-containing aluminum compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Toshio Kojima, Yutaka Narita, Tadaaki Hattori, Taisuke Tokuwaki, Tadayuki Oshima, Hiroki Furubayashi
  • Publication number: 20120008982
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor and a charging member. The photoreceptor includes a long-shaped raw pipe and a photoconductive layer that covers a center portion of the raw pipe in a longitudinal direction and forms exposed parts at ends of the raw pipe in the longitudinal direction. The charging member is arranged in parallel to the photoreceptor through a gap. The charging member includes a long-shaped conductive support body and a resistance adjustment layer that covers a center portion of the conductive support body in the longitudinal direction, and charges the photoconductive layer. Besides, the charging member includes a gap keeping member and a discharge preventing part. The gap keeping member is provided at a position outwardly spaced from a photoconductive layer opposite area by a specified distance in the longitudinal direction of the conductive support body, contacts the exposed part, and keeps a gap between the resistance adjustment layer and the photoconductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamashita, Takeshi Watanabe, Shoko Shimmura
  • Patent number: 8095031
    Abstract: A charging device is provided. A needle-like electrode for charging the surface of a photoreceptor drum is formed with a vibrating portion for vibrating the needle-like electrode by the vibration. The vibrating portion is a piezoelectric bimorph element in which two piezoelectric elements are bonded together and a base portion is formed therebetween. When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric bimorph element, a free end thereof is curved to vibrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanobu Deguchi
  • Patent number: 8088541
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyvinyl acetal resin having a specific repeating structural unit, an electrophotographic photosensitive member using the polyvinyl acetal resin, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each having the electrophotographic photosensitive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Tanaka, Atsushi Fujii, Yuka Ishiduka, Masataka Kawahara, Masaki Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8086141
    Abstract: An electric charging apparatus charges a surface of a charging object. The electric charging apparatus includes an electric field forming device including two electrodes facing each other that form an electric field therebetween. An electron discharging member is provided at a portion of one of the two electrodes that faces the other electrode and discharges electrons into the electric field. The electric charging apparatus also includes a voltage applying controller that controls a voltage applied to the two electrodes. The voltage applying controller selects two or more nonzero intensities of the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukimichi Someya, Eiichi Ohta, Naomi Sugimoto, Takuro Sekiya, Yasuo Katano, Shohji Tanaka, Yoshihiko Iijima, Toshihiro Ishii
  • Publication number: 20110305481
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a charging member that brings out stable charging performance over a long period of time and also makes the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member not easily come to wear non-uniformly. It is a charging member having a conductive substrate and a conductive resin layer; the conductive resin layer containing a binder, conductive fine particles, and bowl-shaped resin particles each of which has an opening; the bowl-shaped resin particles being contained in the conductive resin layer in such a way as not to be exposed to the surface of the charging member; and the surface of the charging member having concavities derived from openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles and protrusions derived from edges of the openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Satoshi Koide
  • Patent number: 8073365
    Abstract: An ion generating device is arranged such that a heater electrode is wired so as to heat (i) a creeping discharge area and (ii) areas where respective terminal sections of an induction electrode, a discharge electrode, and the heater electrode are provided. This allows prevention of dew condensation and nitric acid generation in the vicinities of the respective terminal sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Adachi, Shoutaro Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110293330
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor that rotates about a first rotation axis; and a charging roller that rotates about a second rotation axis which is parallel to the first rotation axis, wherein the charging roller includes a conductive roller portion that extends in parallel with the first rotation axis and contains an ion-conductive agent, a flange portion that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the conductive roller portion further to the outside than an image forming area of the photoconductor in the second rotation axis direction so as to protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface in the radial direction of the conductive roller portion into a flange shape, and an insulating elastic layer that coats the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion and has an elasticity higher than that of a photoconductive surface of the photoconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masashi Takahashi, Takeshi Watanabe, Daisuke Yamashita, Shoko Shimmura
  • Patent number: 8068768
    Abstract: In an ion generating element, (i) an induction electrode and a heater electrode are provided away from each other on one surface of an insulating base material such that the induction electrode and the heater electrode are insulated from each other, (ii) a dielectric layer is provided on the surface of the insulating base material, and (iii) the dielectric layer has a length covering the insulating base material and the dielectric layer has openings above a ground terminal of the induction electrode and above a ground terminal and a power supply connection terminal of the heater electrode so that the terminals are exposed. As a result, it is possible to provide an ion generating element for generating ions along with creeping discharge, a charging device, and an image forming apparatus, each of which can be produced at low costs and prevent damages when unexpected troubles occur, and each of which is excellent in terms of safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Adachi, Shoutaro Okamoto, Toshiaki Kagawa
  • Patent number: 8064804
    Abstract: A conductive member includes, a conductive supporting body, an electric resistance-adjusting layer formed in the conductive supporting body, and a space holding member which is formed on each end of the electric resistance-adjusting layer and has a material different from a material of the electric resistance-adjusting layer, the space holding member constantly maintaining a space between an image carrier and the electric resistance-adjusting layer, and the electric resistance-adjusting layer including a resin composition having a thermoplastic resin (A) containing at least an ether group, a fibrous polymer (B), which do not melt in (A) and has an aromatic skeleton in a molecule, and an electrolyte salt (C).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadayuki Oshima
  • Patent number: 8055157
    Abstract: An ion generating element of the present invention includes a discharge electrode and an inductive electrode, both of which are provided so as to face each other with a dielectric body sandwiched therebetween, and a heater electrode which warms the ion generating element by Joule heat produced because of a passage of an electrical current. A distance between the discharge electrode and the heater electrode is larger than that between the discharge electrode and the inductive electrode, and further a shield electrode having a connection for ground is provided between the heater electrode and the inductive electrode on a surface of the dielectric body at a side on which the inductive electrode is provided. Hence, it is possible to prevent a leak to the heater electrode at low cost, while giving consideration towards safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsumi Adachi
  • Patent number: 8050590
    Abstract: This is a device for cleaning a corona grid used in electrostatic printing or copying machines. This device has a cleaner pad that cleans the outer surface of the grid, that is the surface closest to the photoreceptor surface. This pad is located between the outer surface of the grid and the surface of the photoreceptor. It can be used together with a cleaner pad that cleans the inner surface of the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Bruce J Parks
  • Patent number: 8041259
    Abstract: A conductive member includes a conductive supporting member provided facing an image bearing member and including a continuous or discontinuous fixing groove provided in the vicinity of each of both ends of the conductive supporting member in a peripheral direction thereof, an electrical resistance adjusting layer formed on the conductive supporting member and including a step portion which includes at least one step disposed in the vicinity of each of the both ends of the electrical resistance adjusting member, and gap retainers each provided to the step portion and including a cylinder portion which contacts at least one surface of the step portion, and an end plate so that a predetermined gap is formed between the image bearing member and the electrical resistance adjusting layer. The end plate contacts at least one surface of the step portion and fits into the fixing groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Narita, Makoto Nakamura, Taisuke Tokuwaki, Tadaaki Hattori, Tadayuki Oshima, Hiroki Furubayashi
  • Publication number: 20110243602
    Abstract: A charge roller conductive film and a developer cartridge. The conductive film has an input contacting an electrical contact of an image forming apparatus main assembly, an output electrically connecting with a charge roller and a transmission section connecting with the input and the output. The input has a middle contact plate shaped like a bent strip. A side contact plate is formed on at least one side of the middle contact plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventor: Haijun Xie
  • Publication number: 20110236072
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electron emitting element, comprising: a first electrode; an insulating fine particle layer formed on the first electrode; and comprising first insulating fine particles and second insulating fine particles larger than the first insulating fine particles, a surface of the insulating fine particle layer having a projection formed from the second insulating fine particles, and a second electrode formed on the insulating fine particle layer, wherein when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, electrons provided from the first electrode are accelerated in the insulating fine particle layer to be emitted from the second electrode via the projection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Yasuo Imura, Hiroyuki Hirakawa, Ayae Nagaoka, Kanako Hirata, Tadashi Iwamatsu
  • Publication number: 20110229204
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor, a discharging device that discharges the photoreceptor, to regard a potential of the photoreceptor as a first potential, a charging device that charges the photoreceptor by proximity discharge, to regard a potential of the photoreceptor as a second potential. The charging device charges the photoreceptor for a plurality of times when changing the potential of the photoreceptor from the first potential to the second potential, and a change amount in potential of the photoreceptor in each charge is substantially the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Toshifumi WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20110217079
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a first roller, a second roller, and a separating mechanism. The first roller is formed in a longitudinal shape. The second roller is formed in a longitudinal shape and arranged in parallel to the first roller via a gap. The separating mechanism moves the second roller in a direction further away from the first roller such that the gap between the first roller and the second roller in a direction orthogonal to the axis direction of the second roller increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun ISHII
  • Patent number: 8010018
    Abstract: A discharger is provided, which can eliminate charge from a surface of a photoconductor. The discharger includes: a light source; and a light guide member which extends in a first direction to be opposed to the surface of the photoconductor in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. The light guide member has a plurality of holes, each defined by a hole surface. At least a portion of the hole surface is curved. The hole extends in an orthogonal direction substantially orthogonal to the first and second directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Okabe
  • Publication number: 20110200926
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor including a layer comprising a cross-linked hardened material of a compound A with a compound B. Each of the compounds A and B has at least two alcohol groups, at least one of the compounds A and B has at least two methylol groups, at least one of the compounds A and B has at least three alcohol groups, and at least one of the compounds A and B has a charge transportable group. In other words, the compound A has X methylol groups, X being an integer of 2 or more, the compound B has Y alcohol groups, Y being an integer of 2 or more, at least one of the compounds A and B has a charge transportable group, and the following relations are satisfied: x=2 and y?3, or x?3 and y?2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuji TANAKA, Norio Nagayama, Hiromi Sakaguchi, Tetsuro Suzuki, Kazukiyo Nagai
  • Patent number: 7995952
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there are electron emitters, charging devices, and methods of forming them. An electron emitter array can include a plurality of nanostructures, each of the plurality of nanostructures can include a first end and a second end, wherein the first end can be connected to a first electrode and the second end can be positioned to emit electrons, and wherein each of the plurality of nanostructures can be formed of one or more of oxidation resistant metals, doped metals, metal alloys, metal oxides, doped metal oxides, and ceramics. The electron emitter array can also include a second electrode in close proximity to the first electrode, wherein one or more of the plurality of nanostructures can emit electrons in a gas upon application of an electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David H. Pan, Fa-Gung Fan, Joseph A. Swift, Dan A. Hays, Michael F. Zona
  • Patent number: 7991311
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming an image. A controller manages a charger and a developing bias voltage to increase an absolute value of the charging voltage to an image-bearing member and an absolute value of a developing bias voltage to a developer-bearing member to predetermined values in a plurality of steps. The controller controls the developing bias voltage applied to the developer-bearing member; wherein the following relation holds in each of the plurality of steps: |VD|>|Vi|, where VD represents a developing bias voltage applied to the developer-bearing member and Vi represents a charged potential of the image-bearing member. This invention is especially useful for mono-component development using DC voltage as a development driving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Aetas Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric Chun-Wei Shih, Bruce Cheng-Chih Chen, Dianne Tan-Feng Tsai
  • Publication number: 20110158693
    Abstract: A charge device including an electrode arranged to face an object to be charged, and an image forming apparatus having the same. The electrode includes an electrode body made of a conductive material, a first layer made of carbon and formed on an outer surface of the electrode body, and a second layer made of a metal and formed between the electrode body and the first layer, to reduce and/or impede oxidization thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won Wook LEE
  • Patent number: 7970318
    Abstract: A charging device (10) includes electrospray means for inducing electrospraying through application of a voltage to an incoming liquid (11), in order to produce charged liquid droplets (13). The device (10) charges a photoreceptor drum (1) by means of the liquid droplets (13). Hence, the invention provides a charging device capable of reducing ozone production while preventing the charging device and the electrostatic latent image carrier from degrading or wearing out from friction between the device and the carrier and provides also an image forming device incorporating the charging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Iwamatsu, Hirofumi Kanda